Sunset
by paperbird
Summary: Talk of arranged marriage unsettled him. He knew that a "suitable" match was really not all that suitable at all. NejiTen.
1. Prolouge

Talk of arranged marriage unsettled him. He knew that a suitable match was really not all that suitable at all. NejiTen.

Hello there, internet. This is my first full length fanfic, so any ideas, adivce, or cookies would truly be appreciated.

Update will be up... How's Wendesday at the VERY latest? May be up before then!

A few years after current time. Going to keep elements like where people are, who's dead, who's hokageey, kind of nonspecific. I suppsose they'd be about 19 or so.

Mainly Neji POV.

___

Prolouge-

"No Lee today, I see?"

"No."

So, and not for the first time, it was them and only them. And, strictly speaking, it was only sparring; one of the most routine of a shinobi's life.

By the book, no more romantic than buying groceries or feeding the cat. Still, he wondered if the two green-suited abominations had somehow formulated some diabolical plot…

Actually, that would them involve them thinking. Which would be unusual. Either way, he consigned it to a distant corner of his mind.

Perfect timing, as a barrage of pointy-objects-that-Neji-dearly-did-not-want-in-his-face hissed though the air. He mustered his charka, then activated the byakugan.

Shower of sparks, and the pointy objects fell away like autumn leaves.

The leaf-nin popped her head out of the bushes.

"Call it a day, Neji?" Her voice had a hoarse ring to it, telling him it wasn't really a question.

_Fine_. "If you insist."

She began the tedious, tedious process of locating, digging-out-of-various-rocks, and packing of the god-knows-how-many pointy-things. Neji let his balance tip backwards, landing on a familiar tree, guided more than the byakugan to know where it was. Really, it was bit lame when you know your favorite training field by heart.

They'd had their first day here- team Gai, fresh out of the academy, wide eyed Lee, Tenten quiet and jumping at shadows, and himself, well, a bit more off kilter than usual. Training for chunin. Training for jonin. Training for specific mission. Training because it was what they did.

And here he was, years later, alone, panting from training, watching Tenten scurry after far-flung knives. Again.

The setting sun gleamed strong on the rim of her face, tracing the outline of her lips like gold. But nothing new there.

He wanted if he wanted it to change, and couldn't quite answer. He liked it as it was; and if he was compelled to watch her more intently upon occasion,(or, in a few rare occasions, with the aid of the byakugan), then that would be how it would be.

___

I do love to put dashes in random word-things. I know it's weird.


	2. Chapter 1

Hi guys! Update is a bit early. I blame a rush of inspiration. And a lack of schoolwork.

Look guys, the actual plot. SHITBUNNIEZ. Once I look at it like this, maybe I should've written more. Ch.2 will be longer, promises.

I'll update, hmm, say saturday at the latest. Inspiration may come again.

Reviews make my life. :)

_____

"Neji!" A sharp rap on the door. "Wake up."

Rub sleep out of eyes. "Yes, coming." He rolled onto his feet from the soft mat on the floor automatically. Branch clannies were used to rude awakenings.

To his surprise, it was a great uncle of his who was at the other side of the door.

"Ah, good morning, onii-"

Pale, cold eyes greeted him without formality. "Neji, there is something we must discuss with you."

"Ah, sure." He stumbled over words, having not quite found his wits, " Yes."

This was unusual. This was _highly_ unusual. What would uncle Fuji, an important elder, bother with him? He felt oddly dreamlike as he followed him across the Hyuga property, into a small meeting room. Fuji's gnarled old hand slid open the door, and his stomach became a cold pit of anticipation.

Two other elders he knew from his childhood sat on the right and left sides of the room, still as statues. He wasn't afraid of them. These were men he could call uncle without any fear of reprimand. Shiji and Shii, along with Fuji, were the branch clan. They weren't what worried him.

It was the man at the head of the room that did. Goro Hyuuga. Of the main clan. Technically his uncle only a few degrees removed, but Neji would never have the gall to even imagine calling him that. This man was above him. He was to be called sir upon pain of death.

Fuji motioned him towards the middle of the room, and sat by the door. Boxing him in.

"Neji," you're nearing your 20th birthday, aren't you?" Goro Hyuuga's voice rang out solemnly. This question, of course, was merely a pretense. They all knew the answer.

"Yes sir. I am. "

"Very good. Very good." Goro smiled wanly. "Surely, someone of your age has given thought to life beyond your current one?"

Neji hadn't a clue what he was talking about, and, more importantly, no clue how to fake that he did. "I beg your pardon?"

A wan smile spread like a drop of ink in water. "Marriage, perhaps?"

Oh.

Now he knew what he was talking about.

Problem is, he was currently mildly incapacitated.

Neji wildly groped for words, trying to untangle thoughts. "Oh?"

"Oh, yes. It would benefit the clan immensely. We have a daughter of a certain honored family in mind."

"An…arranged marriage?" Double whammy.

"Well, not arranged, per se. They were legally outlawed in the days of the 3rd Hokage, you see. It's merely…. _Suggested_. _Recommended._ For the good of the clan, you see." The serpentine smile grew.

Neji felt cold, despite the warmth of the day. He knew as well as Goro did the hidden message in this offer. _If you don't, the clan will not be kind._

"I…I"

"You'll consider it, then?"

"I… I will consider." _I'll consider, refuse politely, and please don't ask any more of me._

"Excellent. It's only natural for me to arrange a meeting, then. How does next week sound?"

"Oh, well...I…"

"Next week it _is_, then." Goro rose. "Well, that's that. No more business for today. You may leave.

Business. A chill rose in his throat. That's what it was then.

Main-clannies didn't have to sugarcoat.

Neji was in a daze, and wasn't sure If he could make it to the door on his own two feet. Thankfully, his uncle Fuji rose, offered him a hand which Neji shakingly accepted, and pulled him up and out of the room.

His heart was beating slowly, like a funeral drum, like a scared deer running through syrup.

"Uncle…"

"I know, Neji." His uncles gray eyes softened a bit in sympathy. "I am surprised as you are. The main branch has never… never asked this much of us."

"It's.."

A steady hand on his shoulder. "Yes, I know."

Neji nodded slowly.

"Neji, I know it's a lot to ask, and the main clan has asked a bit too much of you this time. I shall try to reverse Gin's decision If at all possible. It's just that you should know that refusing this wouldn't hurt only you. Our entire branch could be put out in the cold, power and status out of our reach."

"Yes. I see."

"You have nothing but sympathy from me. Know that, Neji."

"Yes uncle. Thank you, uncle."

Fuji left, and Neji turned his eyes away from the traitorous Hyuuga compound and to the sky.

____

Before I went online and actually bothered to look up names, Goro's name was originally Gin. As in from Bleach.

Yes, that's where I got the part about the smile.

Review, my pretties!


	3. Chapter 2

Yhallothar.

:O

Gai and Lee ared extremely fun to write about. I cracked up a bit while writing this.

* * *

Ch 2.

He wasn't feeling shocked.

Truth be told, he wasn't feeling much of anything at all.

He slipped out of the compound's doors and began to wander to the training field, taking the long way. He slipped though the streets of Konaha, winding his way though thin alleys and wide sunny squares.

He was a ghost who had been leant a body. '

He felt a bit better when he arrived. Dynamic Duo were warming up. Tenten absent, but he was a slight bit early.

Neji drew on his reserve of chakra, and slowly, carefully, activated the byakugan. The skin around his eyes clenched, and life around him lost its dimension and became a realm of different energies, flowing streams of strength.

He felt less vulnerable with his byakugan activated. It was more than a physical defense for him; it gave his mind a sense of cool calm. As foolish as it seemed for a technique of war to give him peace, it did.

"Neji! Neji!" The smaller green abomination was racing to him now. "Briefing! Now!"

"Ah. I'm coming, Lee. And I'm not deaf." _He's very monosyllabic today. _

The rest of Team Gai was clustered by the gate of Konaha. Tenten was there, smooth brown eyes peering at his approaching form, then waving as cheerfully as a normal human could as this hour. He gave a quiet nod in return.

Gai was standing on a rock, thumb pointed menacingly in their general direction.

"Youthful Leaf comrades! It is a lovely day to see your Youthful Smiling Faces!"

Lee as usual, was listening as if he was preaching the gospel. "Hai, sensei!"

"We once again have been assigned a group mission! It shall be like the Youthful-Days-Of-Nigh! Our mission…"

"Please, sensei, just spit it out." _It is too early for this. It is _always_ too early for this. _

"Youthful comrades, I shall indeed tell you. We are assigned to tracking duty of a few rouge-nin."

"Sensei," Neji said, "Shouldn't kind of drudgework be given to some chunin? It's hardly worth out…"

"As gratefully grateful I am to see you hold our team in such esteem," Gai glowed, shouting at full volume now, "These are no sulking talentless-hacks we're tracking. They are Extremely Important!"

"Oh Lord. No more Akatsuki. There aren't any more, right? We had enough of them a few years ago, sensei." Tenten seemed vaguely worried.

"No! Never again shall this village allow the likes of the Akatsuki to plague the Ninja Lands! Whats-his-face-the-blue and all the rest of them are gone now, rest assured."

"To ensure that such villains never again plague the likes of our village is why we must exterminate these rouge-nin now!" Lee was also now at full volume. This would soon result in a migrane.

"Wait, sensei," Tenten interrupted, "Where are we going, exactly?"

"The rouge-nin are in the far reaches of the Land of Fire. They are two days travel away."

Oh. Right. Reality hit him like a rock. _An unpleasant rock._ "Gai sensei, there is a matter of my clan that requires I be in Konaha. How long will this mission take?"

"Fear not, youthful Neji! We shall finish within 3 days if all goes according to plan. It is only a tracking mission."

"And we leave...?"

"By noon today." A wide grin that was mildly blinding.

Normally, an easy mission like this would've been a thorn in his side- he had things to do, places to see. Today, however, it gave a sense of a heavy weight being lifted off of his back by a friendly hand. Also,

"Ah! I haven't been out traveling in so long!" Tenten was excited now, a high flush on her cheeks. "And god knows we're never together as a team like this! When was the last time, Neji?"

"I," his breath caught. "I don't remember."

Also, there was _that._

"We shall have youthful catching-up to do!" Lee chirped, hopping around like a chicken without a head.

It was a real testament to his circumstances that Neji felt a kind of happy, desperate hope from this.

* * *

Tenten breathed in slowly, savoring every ounce of air. "Isn't this just fine, Neji? No city stink out here."

"Its darker in the woods." The soaring trees formed a semisolid mass above them, allowing only little gold beams of light though.

"It's _nice _in the woods."

"It's dark."

She pursed her lips. "Someone's a downer today."

"No I'm not."

"Oh, come on. I can see right thought that." With a deliberate and mockingly sweet tone, she said, "What's _wrong_, Neji? _What's wrong_?"

_Strangle that girl._ "Nothing is wrong, Tenten."

"What's _wrong_?"

"Nothing is wrong."

"Well, tell me or not, something is wrong."

Neji sighed in defeat. "Fine. It's….family business."

"_Family_ business or family _business_?"

"Family _business_."

"Oh." She paused and bit her lip. "You have a lot of family _business, _don't you."

"Yes. Yes I do. And honestly, this is…" By the light of some instinct, he quickly stopped himself from spilling the particulars of the _business._

"This is what?" Her voice was sympathetic, and the sweetness wasn't forced anymore.

"…Not-Good. I really…I really don't want to say any more."

"Okay." She paused and looked at him with downcast eyes. Then, she wrapped her arms around him like a vice.

"May I ask why?" They had come to a stop.

"I'm hugging the emo out of you." Her voice had the echo of a laugh.

"We kind of need to walk." _This is nice, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to have to explain to sensei if we're suddenly gone. Together._

"I can hug and walk."

"That's probably not efficient."

"If you won't let me, I'll have to get Lee to help."

"Okay! Okay. I'm going." Neji couldn't keep a half smile from worming its way onto his face. Tenten still had her arms awkwardly clamped around him as they walked. She lifted eyes to look at him.

" You're smiling!" My job here is done." She undid her arms and returned them to the straps of her weapon-pack."

Tilting his face away, Neji kept smiling.

* * *

...unpleasant rock? I should stop drinking so much eggnog.

The last part is bordering on too sweet. To prevent y'all from getting diabetes, I'll make the next part more... hormone-y.


	4. Chapter 3

Hi guys. Pretty long chapter here. Probably won't update until Monday or Tuesday.

For all you non-yaoi people out there- there is a _brief mention _of Leegaa at the end. I'm sorry, I was strapped for inspiration, and that… that's what it came too. I needed Lee to talk about something, but I don't know anyone canon who'd do and didn't want to write OC. So if you're so inclined, skip to the last few sentences, I won't be mean. :)

For all you yaoi fangirls, I'm afraid that I can't oblige you either, as Tentents seems to be a girl and I'm too much of a nitwit to write two pairings in one story.

Either way, please don't eat me.

And no, I'm not adding this to the summary, because it really isn't important to the story.

Enjoy.

Chapter 3- Tangled

Contrary to popular belief, Tenten's hair was not _permanently_ fixed in those odd little lumps on the back of her head.

Although it could seem like that at times.

She was currently unpinning it; unwinding them like tiny snakes and letting them down her neck.

"What are you staring at?" She was tilting her head at a peculiar angle to look at him as she finger-combed her hair.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Neji laughed. And laughed. And laughed some more.

The sky was rapidly turning gold and scarlet, and they'd found a good place to set up camp in the woods.

As the miles had passed and Neji had distanced himself from the village and the snares of the men in the clan hall, his mood had grown steadily more joyous; a mild dementia, by his reserved standards.

"That is not funny." (Tenten had no such elation, and was getting a bit tired.) "It is unfunny. You are unfunny."

"You're just tired." He leaned back on the boulder he had sat on, letting his spine mold to it, putting his hands on the back.

"That's it, yes. It could be also that the only sane teammate I have is oddly bubbly today."

He swerved around the rock so his upside down face was looking at her, his legs crossed oddly at a right degree angle to his torso.

"You look _really different _upside down and with your hair down."

"I'm going to see if they have any more green spandex suits."

_Owch._ He fixed himself from his contortionist position. "Okay. Okay. I'm sane."

She sighed in relief, and continued picking away at her hair. He leaned back on the rock once more, head slipping onto his shoulder, propping himself up by the elbows. He looked out at the sky.

"Where's Gai again?"

"Firewood."

"Lee?"

"Firewood also. I'll bet they're making a weird-ass competition out of it."

"Every day for them is a weird-ass competition."

Neji laughed. "They're currently tied for that, I'm afraid."

The world wasn't too horrible at the moment, he thought. It was nice. There were no main-clannies to wish death upon. She had forgiven his transgression of the green-suited kind.

This rock was comfortable, too. Damn, it was a comfortable rock. He closed his eyes.

"Hey, Neji?"

"Yes, tentents?"

A growl. "My hair's really bad right now. You wouldn't happen to have a brush, would you?"

"_Excusemewhat?_" He sat up, hissing indignantly.

She looked at him desperately. "I'm in a bit of a fix here. And your hair is longer than mine. Much longer. You don't have a brush?"

"Are you calling me effeminate?"

"I'm not calling you anything; I'm asking for _help_!"

Neji looked at her. It was pretty tangled, yes.

"I don't have a brush, but let me see if I can help you out." He slid over to where she was, and pulled her hair into his hands.

"See, if you kept it all nice and tied back like mine, this wouldn't happen."

"Yours is long enough. Mine isn't."

As he absently tugged, his fingers caught.

"Ow. Careful. Long strokes."

"Like this?"

"Yes. Oh, yes,' she said, eyes closing. "Yes good." Tenten's shoulders slackened, and she leaned back onto him, eyes closed. Her back conformed to plane of this knees and arms behind him.

Was he forgetting something? He felt like he was forgetting something, as his fingers unsnarled her clumped hair.

_Oh right._

_Breathing_. He inhaled. _Right. That's important._

The moment lasted… well, he couldn't quite gauge how long it actually was, but it felt like an eternity to him. He'd have liked to stay there forever, her body warm against him, his fingers working methodically, his mind in utter peace.

"Er, I think its all good now."

"Thank you, Neji." She tilted her head back, brown eyes angling up. She looked at him for a moment. A long moment.

_Breathe, you idiot. Breathe. BREATHE._ Neji wildly fished around for words. For actions. Anything.

A tiny voice in an inner crevice of his mind whispered in his ear,_ kiss her, you idiot. Kiss her._

_I can't._

_Why can't you?_ The voice smoothly said,_ You want to. _

_I,_ a reason, a reason, he needed a reason. And quickly. _This business with the clan, I'd only lead her on. _

_That's miles away. Universes away. Centuries away. She's here now._

Silence. Then,_ no. I...I refuse to hurt her._

_It's you who's hurting, isn't it? She's not the coward here._

"Neji? You okay?" Her voice snapped him back into the present.

"I'm fine." Damn, his voice was shaking like a leaf.

"You looked miles away."

"I'm sorry. I…" he faltered. _Again. I falter all too much._ "Well, I'm sorry."

"Its okay."

A snap of wood and a yelp of pain.

"Five bucks says that's one of them breaking a limb." She sat up. "I guess I'd better go help them." And she was off and running.

He folded his head between his knees.

_I am a coward. I am an utter coward, _he silently cursed to himself. _What's my excuse again? Oh right, the clan. As usual. My perpetual excuse._

_It's high time that I be more than a tool of the clan. It's high time I _let_ myself be more than a tool of the clan._

___________

"Lee. Come over here, I need to talk to you about something!" Neji whispered to Lee as they were packing up to travel the next morning. Tenten was groggily walking ahead, and, well, god knows where Gai was. He wasn't here, by any means.

"Yes, Neji?" Lee chirped.

"There's, er, something…I have a problem."

Lee's face had a look of extreme concentration for a moment, then he brightened and said, "Could it be a girl problem?"

_Damn. It must be a bit obvious if _he _guessed it._ Neji cleared his throat. "Yes. Yes it is."

Lee looked like he'd just won the lottery. And a new spandex suit.

"Any girl in particular?"

"No. Not really, no." _Psht. _"Its just that, I have…."

"No experience?"

_He's spot on, again. That's…that's unheard of. _"Yeah, exactly. I've never even kissed a girl. Not… not really."

("not really" was a peck on his cousin Hinata's cheek when he was young, perhaps 6. "not really" had caused the silly girl to faint and quite a bit of teasing from his uncles after that.)

"And you. _You _have." Neji said. "That girl, on our recon mission to the Sound? With all those weird vibrating weapons? She was your first, was she?"

Lee shifted a tiny bit. "Well, the 'first' isn't really as important as-it's not as if-uhh"

"She wasn't you first?" _Damn, and that was quite a few years ago too. What has he been up to?_

"No-she wasn't."

"Oh. Would I have known 'the first'?" Times like this called for air quotes, and Neji obliged.

"You…I don't think you'd know her. Not personally."

"Okay. It's not even who that matters, it's how." Neji paused to push his hair back into place where it had fallen free onto his face. "Because I haven't the slightest _clue_, seriously. So how did it…go?"

Lee shifted, closed his eyes, and wiped his brow with his hand.

_Is he sweating? It's quite cool down here. Maybe it's the spandex._

"Well at first, she was talking, but more quietly than usual. Talking to me, and not just projecting words. And then he…"

Neji actually did stop in his tracks.

"He?"

Lee looked like he'd just been zapped with a cattle prod. "She! She! I meant to say she!"

"You said he. Quite clearly."

"I meant she! She! She is what I meant!"

Neji grabbed him by the shoulder, and stared him right in the eyes.

"Come on, Lee. I won't think any less of you for it."

Lee cringed.

_Come on, Lee. I'm really not in a position to judge here. And I really do need to know._

"It was Gaara."

Neji's jaw, which had been quite open before, fully unhinged now.

Lee embarrassedly smoothed the hair behind his head. "Yeah."

_There's a lot about him I don't know, isn't there? _

"First Sakura, then Gaara? Do you have a thing for murderous redheads or something?"

"It was after he returned to Suna. After the encounter with the Akatsuki, remember? And we stayed there to help them regroup for a week or so. After he'd been healed, I was around his headquarters, he saw me and invited me in. We were talking for a while, and then…" Lee turned red. "He started getting close to me, and I didn't run away. Just…just quickly. And, well," he sounded relieved now, "that's what it was."

"The man who tried to kill you. And nearly crushed your dreams. _That_ Gaara. You kissed _him._"

Lee cleared his throat. "I was as surprised as you were, and I don't think he was expecting it either. But I think that in matters like these, the past doesn't matter as much as you think it does. It's the now more than anything."

Neji found himself nodding.

Lee turned his head. "Please don't tell anyone. Nothing came of it, and while I'm not sorry about it, it wouldn't have worked out in the end."

"You just said the past didn't matter, didn't you?"

"The past didn't matter, but the future did. He's the kazekage, remember? And I'm needed in Konaha."

"Okay. That's…easy enough."

Lee closed his eyes. "I think, in the end, its really most important not to run."


	5. Chapter 4

I know, I said I'd have this up yesterday. I totally forgot, and I apologize. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out, but I'll do my best.

The next morning dawns bright and cold. They pack up and move out in quiet silence.

"We're only a few miles from the first hideout we're checking. Be quiet and keep you eyes wide open." Gai had said. He made only a few remarks about youth, and Lee was silent altogether.

The sky is overcast, and shadows barely touch the ground. Then sunlight itself seems wan and gray.

It was not a cheerful morning, but then, he was a man with a goal. A goal that wasn't for the villiage or for the clan; but for himself. Yes, it was an incredibly trvial thing; but it was his goal.

Tenten was trailing some 20 feet behind Neji; not visible, but _present_.

The morning wore on, and miles began to pass. The trees began to thin out; which he _really _did not like on many levels. With his byakugan, thick forests weren't an obstruction to his sight as much as cover that hid him and kept his enemies as plain as day.

And it also meant that Tenten had to walk farther behind him to avoid detection.

Presently, Gai and Lee had stopped walking, and had slid behind trees. There was a thick and suspiciously flat rock in the middle of a clearing. This was it.

"Nothing, Neji?" Lee whispered.

He pulled on his reserve of chakra. "I see no one."

Tenten came into view, and slipped behind a tree.

With a flick of his hand, Gai moved swiftly; heaving the rock out of the way and leaping down. They followed in quick succession.

They'd landed in a large inner room, but a few hallways snaked off into the gloom.

Neji ran to the right; Lee and Tenten down the middle, and Gai to the left.

He ran off alone. His footsteps landed softly, and when he came to a door, he gingerly eased it open. A simple storeroom; a few odd kunai, water, piles of rations, and nothing else. He turned back.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing," Lee said quietly. Tenten was quiet. After a tense moment Gai popped his head out of the left hallway.

"Nothing. Let's go up." He breathed, and hoisted himself up.

They were all whispering, even though it was empty.

When they were all in the gray sunlight again, Tenten said with a tired relief, "That wasn't much, was it?"

"An closet, compared with what the Akatsuki had back in the day," Lee said. "I think I got a bit lost in one, once, when we were investigating them after they had all died off. The hallways just went on forever."

"Yeah, and there was all sort of weird shit in the-"

He heard a hiss of steel. "Get down!" Without thinking, he hooked Tenten arm and crouched low, bringing her with him. He landed hard on his knees and the arm not around her; she toppled backward next to him.

The briefest of seconds, and

A small fleet of kunai embedded in the ground just behind them, hitting the ground in a quick succession of _shing-shing-shing._

"Who the hell was that?" Tenten started.

"Shh." He shifted so that he was kneeling upright. "Byakugan!"

The world flew away in a quick flash, and he saw two hunched forms in the trees? _Why did I not see them earlier? From where we were, I wouldn't have even needed the byakugan to see them- they're in plain sight!_

The two forms swiftly dropped down from the trees, seemingly effortless.

One was tall and gaunt, and was unsheathingthat looked like a blunt weapon. _Which will cut right though my defenses. Great. _ The other one was smaller, pale haired, with dark beady eyes.

Neji stood up straight. Gai, who had been standing a few steps apart, was unscathed, but Lee's right shoulder had been nicked by a kunai.

"Neji-san…" Tenten's voice was quiet. She knew as well as he did that something massive and blunt the first guy was holding could easily overwhelm the barrage of knives she loved to throw. "This might be difficult. He'll-"

"I know. Neither of use have that kind of force; and Lee's been injured."

"We might have to rely on Gai again," she said. Her tone was bitter. "It's like we're genin again."

"Hey. None of that. We'll do what we can. It's okay."

"Neji…"

The dark-haired man had raised his sword now. With a swooping movement, he ran towards them, swinging the sword like a wrecking-ball.

And CLIFFHANGER-NO-JUTSU!

Does the last part make sense? I though that Tenten really doesn't have much of a defense, really, at least that we've seen. And while that circly-thing that Neji does is find for the little needles that Tenten chucks at him, I'm not sure if it would hold up against, I don't know, A nice tree trunk maybe?

"He landed hard on his knees" belongs in a yaoi fanfic, I know. I'll have to use that line somewhere else…

Review, if you please? Come on guys, that little bitty oneshot I did before this got more reviews. Reviews make my life happy.


	6. Chapter 5

It's alive!!!

Midterms are coming up, guys, and this might be delayed a bit. I honestly won't know when to promise an update, so I'll do it as fast and well as I can when time comes.

Think of it as a surprise! (Yeah, I know that's quite dumb)

I took a few liberties with the style in this chapter. Neji doesn't really call Tenten by her name as much, thought are jumbled, some odd imagery that makes sense to me and I hope it does to you. Because, when you're frantic and trying not to die horribly, you're not really going to think coherently, are you?

Thanks for putting up with my nonsense,

Paperbird

* * *

A long moment. The sword almost seemed still, poised perfectly in the grey light.

He didn't think, couldn't think; he could only act. And his first instinct was to grab her by the hand and _get the hell away_.

With a sickening crunch, the sword lodged in the ground. The dark-haired man seemed to be pulled after it, gravitating.

Time regained its focus, the man righted himself and heaved the sword out of the rocks, and he dug his foot into the ground.

"You know what to do, right?" Neji asked Tenten.

"Of course."

They'd only practiced it a thousand times in training. _A while ago, of course._

She loosened scrolls from her back. With a flick of the wrist she let them unfurl, twisting like two rivers.

"Count of three, Neji?"

Gai was swiping at the man now, dodging and weaving the heavy sword.

From the corner of his eye, all the little steel-things gleamed.

"Yeah."

"One, two, three…GO!"

He swooped down and grabbed her arm and foot, and threw her upward. She flew in a high arc, some twenty feet up.

"Sensei!" Neji yelled. Gai nodded, saw their move and nodded imperceptibly, and ran back as much as he could.

She unhooked the countless scores of kunai and shuriken, and let them fly.

_A rain of steel. On a clouded day._

The swordsman saw them only a split-second before, when the scant sunlight had began to become spotted with shadow. He turned his shoulder to the oncoming knives, and raised the sword to his face.

And clouds of dust.

Somewhere, to the right, Tenten landed softly.

_Should I… I should. _Neji started running. He had no time,_he had no time._

Dust cleared, and the swordsman bled but still moved. The sword had blocked a good amount of pointed steel, and while many were lodged in his arm side, nothing too vital was hit.

"Hah!" The swordman's voice was hoarse but loud, barely cloyed with pain at all. "Is that all you've _got-"_

He again failed to see an oncoming attack; this time in the form of a graceful brown and white blur that crouched to the ground, smooth as a landing bird.

A barrage of jabs.

_Gentlefist'd._

The swordsman's shoulder's arced back smoothly, and he fell sideways.

"Now, Tenten!"

She ratcheted her arm back, grabbed a fistful of kunai, and flung them hard, barely aiming.

Little drops of blood.

Vital spots this time.

The swordsman folded backward, almost delicately, onto the ground.  


* * *

Yeah, her scrolls are awesome. They're the most interesting part of her character design, in my opinion. Neji, on the other hand, just has his hokeypokey dance.

I have been waiting many chapters to say gentlefist'd. Forgive me.

I kind of made the moves off the top of my head, and this is the first time I've written a fight scene.


	7. Chapter 6

Look gaiez, I'm not dead! –dies-

Seriously, school is kicking my butt. I promise to get it done faster next time, but this time I can only say I'm sorry.

I'll even be a total weeaboo and say GOMENASAYYEE!!

Okay I'll stop.

Enjoy!

A breath; a sigh of relief.

He bowed his head a little bit, and surveyed the area around him.

Lee hunched over, clutching his arm and a bit pale, but otherwise fine.

The swordsman's body. Little splatters of blood around it.

Gai-sensei.

Tenten.

And the second man.

"Gai sensei, should we…" he trailed off.

"No, we stay." His voice was concentrated and grave. No youthful springtime here.

The second man looked at the body of his partner with mild interest.

"You actually managed to kill him. That's… surprising." He closed his eyes and tilted his head at them. "I should thank you for that."

"Your youthless disharmony with your comrade sickens me!" Lee gasped out.

The pale shinobi smirked. "I can't waste time on the likes of you."

A sharp blast, and uncurling smoke. He turned his eyes from it, until it had thinned out, and… _oh no._

The pale man had an absolute armory of Fuma-style shurikens. Nearly as forceful as a sword, but if done right, much harder to read. And fast, dammit. Which, with the time it took to release Team Gai's strong point, the 8 gates, was bad.

"Sensei?" Tenten's voice was cold and high with panic. "What's the plan?"

"I'll try to get in close. You three stay out of the way."

"But sensei…"

"No!" Gai said. "Stay out of this. He's too strong." He stood a few feet away from them, and the concentration on his face was plain.

Tenten yelled out to sensei that they needed to help him, that it wasn't right that they just stand by and watch, but his byrakugan told him otherwise. The man had an absolute _shitload_ of chakra, and it would be much harder now to get in close.

_Which is difficult enough to do with a normal enemy, incidentally._

A swift swing of the enemy's arm, and Neji barely had the time to shift the slightest bit away from the roulette of blades. It sliced the air behind him, as he folded his body away as fast he could.

_He's fast. He's _really _fast. _Some part of his jutsu, no doubt.

The white shinobi straighted up. With an interested smirk, he said quite casually, "I'm actually surprised you managed to dodge that. You're no ordinary lackey." He was almost smiling now. "You honor me, enemy. I feel its time to bring out my cutting wind." He took up as many shuriken as he could hold, and flicked them open.

A shivering smile. He raised his arm to throw it, his arms shaking with the strain.

And he whisked them forward.

She was standing next to him, so close to him, and god, he couldn't think of what he should do, what he could do, at all.

And so, he didn't think.

He made one swift movement, more sure than anything he had ever done. He pulled himself in front of her, back to the oncoming assault.

He caught her eyes for the briefest of moments. They were shining. They understood what he was doing.

He closed his eyes.

Durr, cliffhangah. –tardface-

Don't worry, he's not dead. Not very dead, anyway.

Fight scenes with this many people are hard to write, dammit! I can see why pretty much any manga likes the one on one fights bestest. Can't keep track of all these damn PEOPLEZ.

But really, my god, I am not sure if this is good writing or absolute CRAP. Please review!


	8. Chapter 7

I'm… not dead! –dies-

Okay, I'm seriously writing all my fics completely before posting next time.

The next chappy-ter will be less boring than this, promisez.

* * *

An instant, and pain shattered him.

He slipped downward, and crumpled on the ground.

Was that her screaming? He couldn't be sure. His vision was quickly fogging, going light and blurry. His head might've been full of feathers, or of angry clouds.

Was that Tenten, running away from him? Running towards the enemy? Oh god, no. Neji tried to muster the strength to pull himself to his feet.

His body betrayed his will. He could barely move. He was even losing the fight to keep his eyes open.

Before his mind went entirely dark, there might've been a voice calling him.

But he couldn't be sure.

* * *

"Lee! Is he all right?"

"I can't tell. It doesn't look good."

"Let me see… Oh my god."

"It hit him…_They_ hit him in the back. Looks pretty deep."

"Lee, we need to get him out of here. He's a fucking blood fountain. Oh god, _oh god._"

* * *

He snapped to consciousness again.

And regretted it immediately. Pain rushed onto his spine. Neji winced.

He seemed to be in a darkened hospital room, a window playing moonlight.

A nurse passing by the door poked her head in.

"Oh! You're awake!" She looked genuinely surprised.

"Where am I, miss?"

"The hospital, dear," the nurse said distractedly. She called into the hallway, "Doctor Choko-san? We have a critical patient in need of anesthetic."

A young, dark-eyed doctor strode into the room, seeming to sweep the floor with a billowing lab coat. She had a hand on her temples, and looked tired.

"Shit, Takada! You need to tell me these things before the guy is choking up with pain!" She gestured wildly for the iv needle, and the nurse fluttered about looking for it.

"Please, doctor, where am I and what is going on?" Neji had raised his voice as much as he could, but it was weak and easily lost in the nurse's clamor.

"Shh. Shh. Close your eyes. You need to go to sleep." The nurse had finally produced a needle, and attached it hurredly and slid in into his arm.

"Please, can you tell me if they're all right?" Already the room was slipping away again.

The nurse laid a cool hand to his forehead. "Calm down, Hyuuga-san."

_They aren't telling me anything. It must be bad._ He willed his fingers to wrench the needle out of his arm, but they seemed to slow and stop midair.

"Is… she all right, miss? That's all I want to know." His voice was shaking.

The doctor looked down at him, miles above his hospital bed.

She didn't say anything, but her eyes were soft with something that might've been pity.

He lost the fight with his eyes, and slipped away. His head folded in defeat onto the pillow.

"He's oddly focused, for someone so drugged up, wouldn't you say? And look, Choko, his brow is furrowed even while he's sleeping!" The nurse was purring.

The doctor turned on her heel and spun out of the room.

* * *

"Miss Choko? What brings you here today?"

"I have something to say, sir."

"What is it, then? Come on, I'm a busy man."

"It has to do with the arrangements you've made-"

"Well, what's wrong with them, then? We honestly cannot reschedule. We've had to do it once already, and its not as if we can simply-"

"I'm breaking the engagement."

A silence. Then-

"You cannot possibly _mean_ that, Choko!"

"I do mean it, Fuji-san. This whole thing was ridiculous to begin with, and I'm ending it far too late already. I can take whatever blame you choose to put on me, but it's off."

"You… you can't say that when you've barely talked to him. This is utterly ridiculous."

"I haven't talked to him, no, but I know when someone's- I don't need to explain myself, Fuji. It's done."

* * *

(I made a plot twist durr.)

I tried to make this not too much like a soap opera, I really did. Really. TT_TT

Seriously guys! Review and I love thou forever!


	9. Chapter 8

Yhallthar. ^^.

I may have used too many pronouns in this. But other than that I'm happy.

(Rock Lee= sleeps like a rock? That was my logic)

* * *

He woke up again. The pain was less, and the world seemed clearer.

And that was before he saw her, slumped in a chair by his bedside.

Neji really hoped that thumping emanated from his chest sound wasn't audible to anyone else. Because it didn't show any sign of stopping and he would be absolutely _paralyzed _if that were to happen.

Lee seemed sprawled on the floor, head askew and There was a shadowed from through the door's glass that might've been Gai. And yes, it was great that the spandex abominations were alive, his eyes were only for her.

The lines under her eyes were strong; he wondered if she was the one who'd stayed awake the longest. Apart from that and a wrist in a sling, she looked just fine.

Almost automatically he pushed himself up, leaning against the wall. It was stupid- amazingly dumb, incomprehensibly idiotic- to be so happy right now. But this simple feeling had taken over him.

_You are an idiot. A lovestruck, pants-on-head retarded idiot who will possibly ruin his future. _But he knew that already.

God, he had always known.

He leaned his head against the wall, with his only intention to feast his eyes a few moments more. By something that was either a lovely coincidence or a handy twist of fate, the wheeled hospital bed shifted with a loud and biting schreech.

Tenten jerked awake with a startled gasp.

Then she twisted around to see him, and a smile lit her face. "Neji you're awake!" she squealed.

"I am, yes. Shhh! Lee is _right_ _there._"

"Lee sleeps like a rock, dummy. How hard did you hit your head to forget that?"

"That was for you, you know.

"I…." She paused. Was that a good thing? He hoped it was. It seemed like it was, but maybe- "I know."

_Okay. That's good, then._

She shifted quietly. "I guess I'm going to act like a little kid and say 'Thank you very much for saving my sorry butt once again, Neji', like I always do."

He straightened himself, inching closer. "You don't have to thank me, you know. I'd do it anyway."

"Of course I have to thank you, Neji!" she hissed. "Why would you say that-"

"I'd save you every time. No questions asked." He tried to keep his voice calm and articulate, but emotion crept its way in.

He honestly could not believe he said that. Neji closed his eyes and tried not to wince.

"Neji…" Spoken softly, her voice cut though to him.

"Tenten, I'm going to say this now, despite the fact that I'll certainly get in a heap of trouble with…"

"The clan. Yes, I know. They're everything to you, Neji. I _know _that-"

"They aren't." Gulp. "Not anymore. You are."

An awkward silence to end them all.

"I like you, Tenten. Quite a lot. Possibly more."

He still had his eyes clamped shut as if his life depended on it.

A shifting sound, then, "Neji?"

"Yeah?"

"I like you too."

Another soft, silent pause.

"Well. Good."

He heard her laugh quietly. "You have a way with words, don't you."

He raised his head and opened his eyes. She was smiling, eyes cast down. She got up from her perch on the chair, moved torwards him, and kissed him squarely on the lips.

Something that could only be described as a small shockwave flew through him. He tilted his head to hers, lips moving smoothly, pressing into hers.

He had no idea what he was doing. He didn't care too much.

He broke away from her for a brief second, and inhaled, something he had apparently neglected. Then he stole in again.

She moved closer to him, hands having found their way to lay against his face and brush the back of his neck. His own rested on her shoulders, pulling her in. She pulled herself closer…

And tripped over a unconscious Lee, who woke with a loud "Gack!"

Tenten jerked to a standing position faster than he would've thought possible. "Lee! I'm so sorry!"

"It is nothing! Just my ribs. They are fine." He saw Neji peering over the edge of the bed. "Neji! You are alive! And awake!"

"This is true."

The green idiot had the bright idea of leaping up to hug Neji and the same time Tenten was fussing over his hopefully-not-broken ribs.

"Yeek! You idiot, Lee!"

"Neji, my dear depressed-but-youthful comrade, lives!" Lee looked at him closely. "Your face looks flushed. Are you feverish?"

_Gah._ Neji pulled away. "No. No. It's nothing."

Lee looked at him, and while saying nothing, winked conspirattley at him.

Neji hoped that that was a wink of I'll-keep-your-little-secret, and not one of future blackmailing.

Then Lee sprung out of the room, with a cry of "Gai-sensei! Neji's awake!"

Tenten sighed wistfully, and looked up from her spot on the floor to stare at him.

"So much for that, eh?"

"Yes."

"But we have later, right?" Her voice was small and hopeful.

Neji smiled at her. "I think we have all the time in the world."

She stood up and moved onto the hospital bed, sitting on the very corner, and moved his head onto her lap, and took his hand.

And he had no problem whatsoever with that, even when Green one, Green two, the doctor, and a small army of nurses came in. Actually, it would've been difficult for all the scrouges of his life; the commanding leaders of the clan, any villain the world cared to throw at him, anything at all to move him from there.

Will be wrapped up next time.

It's probably not politically correct to use a serious retarded like that, but that's how it came out, and I myself refer to myself as pants-on-head retarded occasionally… Nothing mean intended.

Oh, and in other news, if you're bored, and want some Team Gai lol, looky here. .com/user/ICanadianJutsuI#p/u/1/56TWh_XVHHw

WATAAAH! Check out episode 10.

The makers of this have also remarked on Neji's hokeypokey dance. (Just when I thought I'd come up with something original… D: ) I'll pimp for them anyhow.

Let me just tell you now, for anyone who's following me for more than this story; I'm probably writng some form or another of yaoi next. If you take a gander at my profile, you'll see that more of my favorite couples are yaoi. Just so you know, so any of you who's enjoyed this will know, and you who don't can look away if you want.

See you next time! Read and Review!


	10. Epilouge

This has been delayed by internet problems, author sickness, and surprise unicorn buttsecks. So without further ado…

* * *

Neji hurried out of the compound as fast as his feet could carry him.

The village passed in a blur, the road fluid under him.

And then he skidded to a halt.

She was waiting for him at the entrance to the west training round. Tenten was leaning against the gate, eyes cast down, shadows passing over her face.

Then she saw his shadow, the only one still in the shifting of people and the flutter of leaves.

She catapulted towards him, caught him and spun around. He laughed, and let her pull him until they both slowed.

"Hello." She smiled up at him, and then caught him in a kiss.

_Someone please turn the gravity back on. Eventually, I mean._

He broke off. "You know…"

Tenten closed her eyes. "Yes, yes. Training. I know."

"Was it me, or did Gai-sensei say the _east_ grounds?"

"It's always the west grounds, dummy."

"I believe," he said, casting his eyes significantly at her, "that he said east. I could be mistaken."

The smile flashed on her face. "It's certainly possible he might've said that."

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"And I can always blame it on you."

Neji smiled. "That's fine by me."

She looped her arm though his, and towed him behind her.

"I believe the ramen shop is in an easterly direction."

"The orange idiot is in town. Let's not risk it."

"Good point."

Although, truth be told, it didn't take much.

* * *

And that, Ladies and Gents, is my first hopefully-not-too-horrible attempt at a fanfic. Please review.

Next fic will probably will be of the yaoi sorts, all of you who are watching me and aren't into that thing. Just so you know.


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